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November 26
1800s *1891 - A series for the championship of the Pacific Coast begins between the champions of the California League (San Jose) and the Pacific Northwest League pennant winners (Portland). San Jose wins the opener, 8–6. The series will last until January 10 with San Jose winning 10 games to 9. All the games are in played in San Jose. 1900s-1950s *1909 - The Philadelphia Phillies are sold for $350,000 to a group headed by sportswriter Horace Fogel. Because of his dual roles, Fogel will become the only executive barred from a league meeting. *1912 - John T. Brush dies while en route to California by train for his health. His son-in-law, Harry Hempstead, will succeed him as president of the New York Giants. *1935 - The National League takes over the bankrupt, last-place Boston Braves franchise after several failed attempts to buy the club. The league takes over only temporarily, until matters can be straightened out. *1948 - National League president Ford Frick steps in and pays $350 for funeral services, including the cost of a coffin, for the unclaimed body of Hack Wilson. The former slugger, who had died probably of alcohol abuse a few days earlier in a Baltimore hospital, is identified only as a white male. *1949 - The Japanese Central League is joined by the Pacific League. *1950 - The Gillette Safety Razor Co. signs a six-year deal, worth an estimated $6 million, with MLB for the TV-radio rights for the World Series. *1957 - Yoshio (Kaiser) Tanaka, an American citizen of Japanese descent, is named manager of the Hanshin Tigers. He is the first American to manage a Japanese ML team. *1958 - The American League MVP is Boston Red Sox slugger Jackie Jensen, winning over Yankees pitcher Bob Turley and Indians outfielder Rocky Colavito. 1960s-1970s *1960 - The relocated American League team in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul chooses the nickname “Twins” to represent its franchise. The Twins recently moved from Washington D.C., where they were known as the "Senators." *1961 - The Professional Baseball Rules Committee votes 8-1 against legalizing the spitball. Only National League supervisor of umpires Cal Hubbard votes in favor. *1962: **American League batting champ Pete Runnels (.376) is traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Houston Colt .45s for outfielder Román Mejías. After hit he Texas native will only hit .252 in Houston next season and will retire in May of 1964. **The Dodgers trade pitcher Stan Williams (14-12, 4.46 ERA) for Yankees first baseman Bill Skowron (.270 BA, 23 HR, 80 RBI). Skowron will home against his former teammates in Game Two of the 1963 World Series. *1963 - Second baseman Pete Rose is a landslide winner of National League Rookie of the Year honors, taking 17 of 20 votes. Rose becomes the second Cincinnati Reds player to win the award, joining Frank Robinson. *1965 - Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Jim Lefebvre is voted National League Rookie of the Year. *1974 - Catfish Hunter meets with Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley in the American Arbitration Association office in New York City for a hearing to determine the validity of Hunter's breach-of-contract claim. Hunter contends that Finley failed to pay $50,000, half of Hunter's salary, to a life insurance fund. The case will go to arbitration. *1975 - Boston Red Sox center fielder Fred Lynn becomes the first rookie ever to be named American League Most Valuable Player. Lynn, who batted .331 with 21 home runs, 105 RBI, and league-leading figures in runs (103), doubles (47), and slugging (.566), helped Boston to the American League East title. He also won Rookie of the Year honors. *1979 - Third baseman John Castino, who batted .285 for the Twins, and shortstop Alfredo Griffin, who hit .287 for the Blue Jays, tie for the American League Rookie of the Year Award, each receiving seven of the 28 votes. The deadlock precipitates a change in the voting system, effective in 1980. 1980s-1990s *1980: **Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt, who hit .286 with career highs of 48 home runs and 121 RBI, is a unanimous choice as National League Most Valuable Player. **Outfielder Ron LeFlore, who hit .257 with 97 stolen bases for the Expos last season, signs as a free agent with the Chicago White Sox. *1996 - Less than three weeks after major league owners voted 18-12 against ratification of baseball's new collective bargaining agreement, owners voted again and this time approved it by a vote of 26-4. The landmark agreement brings interleague play to the regular season for the first time as well as revenue sharing among owners and a payroll tax on players. *1997 - The Toronto Blue Jays sign free agent reliever Randy Myers to a three-year contract. *1999 - Arbitrator Alan Symonette rejects the owners' attempt to dismiss the umpires grievance dismissed, giving the 22 booted umps a chance to get their jobs back. Symonette will hear the grievance beginning December 13. 2000s *2001 - The Texas Rangers sign free agent pitcher Todd Van Poppel to a three-year contract. *2002: **Prior to playing two regular-season games against the Oakland Athletics to open the major league season in Japan, the Seattle Mariners will face the Seibu Lions and Yomiuri Giants in exhibition contests on March 22 and 23 of spring training. **The Chicago Cubs obtain backup catcher Paul Bako from the Atlanta Braves. *2003 - Hoping to add punch to their lineup, the Oakland Athletics trade catcher Ramón Hernández and disgruntled outfielder Terrence Long to the San Diego Padres for outfielder Mark Kotsay. *2004 - Receiving 21 of the 28 first-place votes, Vladimir Guerrero (.337 BA, 39 HR, 126 RBI) wins the American League MVP Award. The 28-year old former Expos outfielder signed as a free agent with the Angels, after the Mets refused to guarantee his salary based on advice from their medical staff. Births *1866 - Hugh Duffy, Hall of Fame outfielder (d. 1954) *1971 - Fred Tenney, outfielder (d. 1952) *1905 - Indian Bob Johnson, All-Star outfielder (d. 1982) *1908 - Lefty Gómez, Hall of Fame pitcher (d. 1989) *1916 - Bob Elliott, All-Star player and manager (d. 1966) *1916 - Eddie Miller, All-Star infielder (d. 1997) *1937 - Bob Lee, All-Star pitcher *1941 - Jeff Torborg, player and manager *1947 - Richie Hebner, infielder *1947 - Larry Gura, All-Star pitcher *1950 - Jorge Orta, All-Star infielder *1955 - Jay Howell, All-Star pitcher *1956 - Bob Walk, All-Star pitcher *1959 - Mike Moore, All-Star pitcher *1960 - Harold Reynolds, All-Star infielder *1962 - Chuck Finley, All-Star pitcher *1976 - Brian Schneider, catcher *1977 - John Parrish, pitcher Deaths *1907 - Eddie Burke, outfielder (b. 1866) *1951 - Pete Hill, Hall of Fame player and manager (b. 1880) *1954 - Bill Doak, pitcher (b. 1891) *1989 - Lew Fonseca, player and manager (b. 1899) *2004 - Tom Haller, All-Star catcher (b. 1937)